Anaheim, Calif. — Pinch-hitter Carlos Peña delivered a tiebreaking homer in the eighth inning, Evan Longoria also hit a two-run shot and the Tampa Bay Rays overcame an eight-run deficit to beat the Los Angeles Angels, 10-8, on Saturday night.
Jake McGee (4-2) earned the win with a perfect seventh and Fernando Rodney got three outs for his major league-leading 38th save. The Rays, held to one hit over the first four innings by C.J. Wilson, rallied from an 8-0 hole with seven runs in the fifth against the All-Star left-hander.
Rodney ended the game by striking out Erick Aybar and retiring pinch-hitter Maicer Izturis on a grounder with runners at second and third.
Tampa Bay tied it in the sixth with an unearned run against Jason Isringhausen after Ryan Roberts doubled, advanced on a passed ball by Chris Iannetta and scored on Jose Lobaton’s sacrifice fly. Pena, batting for Sean Rodriguez, hit his 16th homer into the lower seats in the right-field corner on a 2-2 pitch from Kevin Jepsen (2-2) after a leadoff single by Jeff Keppinger.
Wilson is winless in a career-worst 10 consecutive starts (0-5) with a 5.70 ERA since beating Baltimore 7-3 on June 26 at Camden Yards. The knockout blow for him was Longoria’s two-out, two-run homer after an RBI single by Sam Fuld, a bases-loaded walk to Desmond Jennings and a three-run double by Ben Zobrist.
Rays starter Alex Cobb threw 59 pitches in 22/3 innings, giving up eight runs and 12 hits against an offense that came in batting .207 against Tampa Bay in the eight previous meetings this season — and was 4-for-44 with runners in scoring position. The 24-year-old right-hander, who made his big league debut at Angel Stadium on May 1, 2011, had won his previous three starts following a 3-1 loss at the “Big A” on July 27 against Dan Haren.
Rookie sensation Mike Trout homered and drove in three runs for the Angels. Albert Pujols hit a two-run homer, his 27th.
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